The Metallic Room

The hero's have worked their way thru the megadungeon, in search of treasure and the evil mage who rules the surrounding lands with an iron fist.  The campaign has stretched on for a few months.  Everyone is tired of fantasy, orcs and goblins.  Deep within the dungeon they start to feel an emanating presence, almost a low ring as if to pieces of metal were stuck together.  This ring gets louder in their ears as they get closer to a large metal door.  Odd? All of the doors in the dungeon have been made of wood, and most have been in terrible shape.  This door stands out, because its a door unlike anything that has been seen before. 

The thief grabs the handle and tests it.  Everything seems to be okay, no traps, and it's unlocked......

The hero's slowly enter the room and find a very strange sight indeed.  The torch light casts shadows over a ring of metallic chairs in a circle.  A large computer screen shows an above shot of what the PCs are doing.  The dwarf scratches an itch on his left arm, and to his surprise the monitor shows that.

What is this weirdness, is it some trick by the evil mage?

The wizard pulls a feather and a string from his sleeves, and casts a spell. 

"There is no magic in this room, but I fear for what it really is.  Truth is stranger than fiction" comments the wise sage.

Peering closer to the figures in the chair the dwarf realizes with utter horror that it is in fact the heros!

They are hooked up to a large machine in the floor, cables run the length of the room. 

The mighty warrior whose arms are bigger than his brain, immediately walks up to his doppelganger and pulls the plug. 

He opens his eyes, and breaths.  He is in a large metallic room, surrounded by machines.  The rest of his compatriots are nearby in the same circle of chairs.  Thru a plate glass window he spies a tall greenish skinned double headed woman wearing a lab coat.

The PCs are now in a bunker, the fantasy world was a dream.  They wake up to the harsh reality that they live in the wasteland. 

Greyhawk bound!

I think I've settled on the Grand Duchy Of Geoff for my initial setting in Greyhawk.  Probably the town or city? of Gorna.

The nice thing about the 1983 box set is that its vague.  Don't get me wrong, there's lots of great stuff in the book.

I initially thought that I would run either "Against The Giants" (the tale of the yawning portal version) and or "Expedition to the barrier peaks".  However after a brief conversation with Scott Charlton he reminded me of "Against the cult of the reptile god", which I've always wanted to run.  That might be a great starting point.  Rather than use it in its original location, I'll just plop it somewhere in Geoff.  Although the initial location isn't that far away from Geoff.

A few minor things I'm thinking of game wise: 

1.  Initially I decided that I might outlaw monks as a class (as it just doesnt' fit in my brain), However it was pointed out to me that there are ton of different kinds of monks other than the typical "Shoalin" ones I have in my brain.

2.  Whilst I'd love to say "Basic four classes only" I'll get spit on.  So all of them in the phb will be allowed, however no "unearthed arcana" and splat books stuff.

3.  side initiative.  I want to try it again, I really enjoyed it in my mutant future game.

4.  Only the races that are highlighted in the 1983 book will be allowed, (if I'm not mistaken that's humans, halflings, elves, half orcs, dwarves and possibly gnomes? gotta check that). As well everyone will roll on the "Where am i from tables"

5.  Obviously no feats.

6.  Toying with no cantrips however see #2 getting spit on.

7.  I want it gritty.  I'm going to hand out XP for gold and monsters.  (keeping the same XP charts from 5e however).  Healing will work like this:  Full Rest is a week of downtown, get up to maximum hit points.  Short rests you are allowed to expend hit dice.

8.  Considering upping the death save to 15.


The campaign is as follows: 
Against the cult of the reptile god
Expedition to the barrier peaks
Against the Giants  or alternatively "the liberation of geoff"

I may also insert "white plume mountain" in there somewhere.

Helpful Greyhawk Links
The most helpful site:  http://www.greyhawkgrognard.com/
Nifty map link: https://atgiants.obsidianportal.com/wikis/grand-duchy-of-geoff

More maps:  http://www.highprogrammer.com/alan/gaming/dnd/greyhawk/map/index.html

Even more maps: https://ghmaps.net/greyhawk-maps/online-map/

Flanaess Heraldry Collage:  https://ghmaps.net/flanaess-heraldry-collage/

City Map Generator:  http://inkwellideas.com/free-tools/random-city-map-generator/

and another: https://www.geeknative.com/59493/fantasy-city-map-generator/